Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q10/00—Administration; Management
  • G06Q10/08—Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
  • G06Q10/087—Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C13/00—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels
  • F17C13/002—Details of vessels or of the filling or discharging of vessels for vessels under pressure
  • F17C13/003—Means for coding or identifying them and/or their contents
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
  • G07F7/00—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
  • G07F7/06—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus by returnable containers, i.e. reverse vending systems in which a user is rewarded for returning a container that serves as a token of value, e.g. bottles
  • G07F7/0609—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus by returnable containers, i.e. reverse vending systems in which a user is rewarded for returning a container that serves as a token of value, e.g. bottles by fluid containers, e.g. bottles, cups, gas containers
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2201/00—Vessel construction, in particular geometry, arrangement or size
  • F17C2201/01—Shape
  • F17C2201/0104—Shape cylindrical
  • F17C2201/0109—Shape cylindrical with exteriorly curved end-piece
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2205/00—Vessel construction, in particular mounting arrangements, attachments or identifications means
  • F17C2205/05—Vessel or content identifications, e.g. labels
  • F17C2205/054—Vessel or content identifications, e.g. labels by bar codes
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2205/00—Vessel construction, in particular mounting arrangements, attachments or identifications means
  • F17C2205/05—Vessel or content identifications, e.g. labels
  • F17C2205/058—Vessel or content identifications, e.g. labels by Radio Frequency Identification
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2209/00—Vessel construction, in particular methods of manufacturing
  • F17C2209/21—Shaping processes
  • F17C2209/2181—Metal working processes, e.g. deep drawing, stamping or cutting
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
  • F17C2250/03—Control means
  • F17C2250/032—Control means using computers
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
  • F17C2250/03—Control means
  • F17C2250/034—Control means using wireless transmissions
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2250/00—Accessories; Control means; Indicating, measuring or monitoring of parameters
  • F17C2250/03—Control means
  • F17C2250/036—Control means using alarms
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
  • F17C2270/00—Applications
  • F17C2270/05—Applications for industrial use
  • F17C2270/059—Mass bottling, e.g. merry belts

Definitions

• the invention relates to an installation for monitoring gas cylinders.
• the use of industrial gases packaged in bottles is very widespread in industry.
• the Applicant has found that the management of a fleet of bottles poses a certain number of problems, both for a supplier and for a consuming company.
• a consuming company generally has a central depot to which the supplier delivers the ordered gas cylinders. From this central depot, the bottles are distributed in the various departments of the company to be transported by the staff to their point of use. We then speak of "voting" bottles to differentiate them from “ramping" bottles which are delivered and connected by the supplier to their points of use.
• Access to the central bottle storage depot is not always prohibited for non-self-employed persons, in particular persons foreign to the company. They can then fraudulently use the gases purchased by the company. Most often, these fraudulent bottles are not even brought back to the central depot. This fraudulent use leads to significant additional costs and disrupts the management of a fleet of flying bottles.
• the Applicant has found that the bottles circulate after their delivery often from one site to another, which then poses the problem of knowing to which site the content and the location of these bottles. must be billed.
• the Applicant has observed that it is sometimes difficult to detect operating faults in a ramp for filling cylinders in batches.
• the Applicant has noticed that the filling of a bottle with a product, for example acetylene, intended to be dissolved in a solvent contained in the bottle has the disadvantage of requiring a large number of human interventions which significantly reduce the rate of a filling station for such products.
• the invention aims to solve most of the various problems linked to the management of containers in general, and of gas cylinders in particular, by proposing a container monitoring installation allowing better management of a fleet of containers both at the level of 'a consuming company only at the level of a supplier.
• the subject of the invention is an installation for monitoring containers each equipped with an information medium, comprising at least one container storage area comprising at least one access to the storage area provided with at least a reading device able to read the information on the information carrier of the containers, and data processing means exploiting at least information recorded by the reading device.
• the installation according to the invention may also include one or more of the following characteristics: the operating means include means for evaluating the stock of containers stored in the storage area.
• the operating means include means for determining the positions of the containers in the storage area.
• the storage area comprises at least one station for distributing a container stock comprising a container storage space and means for authorizing the removal of at least one container disposed in said storage space, said means for authorization comprising, on the one hand, blocking means commutabies between a blocking position of the containers arranged in the storage space and a dispensing position in which at least one container is authorized to be removed, and, on the other hand, means for controlling said blocking means .
• the means for exploiting the information also comprise means for storing at least a minimum threshold of full containers, means for comparing the stock with the minimum threshold of full containers, means for triggering a replenishment order , controlled by the means for comparing the stock with the minimum threshold, and means for transmitting the replenishment order to a replenishment center
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an installation for monitoring gas cylinders according to a first embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the structure of an installation according to a second embodiment example
• FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an electronic label intended to be mounted on a gas cylinder
• FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the structure of an installation according to a third embodiment example.
• FIG. 5 is a diagram of an installation according to a fourth exemplary embodiment
• FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the structure of the installation of FIG. 5
• FIG. 7 is a diagram of a variant of the installation of Figure 5
• Figure 8 is a block diagram of the structure of the installation of Figure 7
• Figure 9 is a block diagram of an installation following a fifth example of embodiment
• FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a variant of the installation shown in FIG. 9,
• Figure 11 is a block diagram of an installation according to a sixth embodiment
• Figure 12 is a block diagram of a variant of the installation shown in Figure 11
• FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a sub-example of an installation 1 for monitoring gas cylinders 3
• the sub-assembly includes a controllable functional unit 5 adapted to perform a predetermined task relating to said cylinders 3, namely monitoring of deadlines such as for example the expiration date of a product contained in bottle 3 or the date of the next hydraulic test of the bottle, as well as the triggering of an alarm in the event of exceeding one of these dates .
• the bottle 3 comprises an information carrier 7 produced in the form of a bar code label 9 applied to the body 11 of the bottle 3
• the bar code label 9 contains various information on the bottle 3 coded according to a coding method known per se. This information includes not only the aforementioned deadlines, that is to say the expiry dates and the dates of the next test. hydraulic, but also for example a bottle identification number or code, the type or types of gas contained in the bottle, the nominal capacity of the product contained in the bottle, the tare of the bottle, the number of the filling batch and a client code
• This device 13 includes a bar code reader 15 and a unit 16 for interpreting the signals delivered by the reader 15.
• the functional unit 5 comprises, connected to the reading device 13, means 17 for exploiting the information noted by the device 13 during a reading.
• These means 17 comprise a clock 19 delivering the current date and time, means 21 for comparing dates, one input of which is connected to the clock 19 and the other of which is connected to an output of the reading device 13.
• the output of the comparison means 21 is connected to alarm means 23.
• alarm means comprise for example a display screen 25 and means 27 for transmitting an audible signal.
• the deadlines stored on the label 9 are entered with the reader 5.
• the device 13 transmits these deadlines to the operating means 17 and more particularly to the comparison means 21.
• These means 21 compare the deadlines with the date delivered by the clock 19.
• the comparison means 21 activate the alarm means 23 which display an alarm message on the screen 25 and trigger an audible signal emitted by means 27.
• the functional unit 5 and the reading device 13 are preferably installed either next to a connection point of gas cylinders of the installation to prevent the use of an expired product, or on a reception station or filling empty bottles of the supplier responsible for the maintenance of its fleet of gas bottles in order to subject them regularly to a hydraulic test.
• Example of embodiment n "2: Figures 2 and 3 show another embodiment of the installation
• the task that the functional unit 5 must perform relating to gas cylinders 3 relates to the monitoring of an area, such as for example a safety area in a nuclear power station, to prevent entry into this area.
• the information stored on the information medium 7 includes in particular the type or types of products contained in the bottle 3.
• the information medium 7 is produced in the form of an electronic label 29 and the device reading device 13 comprises, instead of the bar code reader 15 of FIG. 1, radio communication means 31 adapted to receive the information sent by the electronic tag 29.
• Electronic labels are known per se and for example marketed by the company GEMPLUS (Gemenos, France). The electrical autonomy of such an electronic label comes from a battery or, as is also known, the electronic label can draw the energy necessary for its operation from the radio waves emitted by the communication means 31 of the device. 13.
• FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an electronic label 29. It comprises transmission means 33 and means 35 for receiving information in the direction of or coming from the device 13, a unit 37 for processing information connected to means 33 and 35, as well as means for storing 39 information relating to the bottle 3 which are connected to the unit 37.
• the operating means 17 of the functional unit 5 comprise means 41 for memorizing a list of types of product admitted into the zone to be monitored, and comparison means 43, one of which input is connected to the means 41 for memorizing the list and another input of which is connected to an output of the reading device 13.
• the output of the comparison means 43 is connected to alarm means 45 comprising for example a siren 47 and a rotating beacon 49.
• the installation is for example mounted just in front of an access door to the security zone.
• the reading device 13 constantly emits radio waves in a region situated in front of the access to the security zone in order to detect the passage of a gas cylinder moved by a user.
• the label 29 emits the type or types of product recorded in its storage means 39. This information is received by the reading device 13 and transmitted to the comparison means 43. If the type or types of product read on the label 29 are not among the list recorded in the means 41, the comparison means 43 activate the alarm means 45, that is to say they control the starting of the siren 47 as well as of the rotating beacon 49.
• the comparison means 43 in addition to means for blocking the access door to the security zone.
• the comparison means 43 send a signal for blocking the door to the means for blocking the latter.
• the information stored on the information medium also comprises the type of bottle as a container.
• the storage means 41 a list of accepted types of bottles is stored. This development operates in a similar fashion to that of the embodiment described above. If the bottle type is not among the list when presented to a reading device, an alarm is triggered.
• n ° 3 Example of realization n ° 3:
• FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the installation 1 in which the task to be carried out by the functional unit 5 relates to the delivery of gas cylinders and more particularly the allocation of a delivery to a customer for the invoicing of that -this.
• the information recorded on the label 29 includes in particular the identification number of the bottle and a product code designating the type and quantity of product contained in the bottle 3
• the functional unit 5 is portable and on board a vehicle (not shown) for delivering gas cylinders. It includes means 51 for reading information relating to said task to be performed.
• the means 51 for reading comprises an apparatus 52 for determining the geographical position of the unit 5, for example of the type known under the name "GPS differential". Such an apparatus which is known per se, delivers the geographical position of the unit 5 with an accuracy of approximately 1m.
• the installation 1 further comprises, connected to the means 51, a device 53 for writing information remotely on the electronic label 29.
• the shutdown device comprises the means 31 for communicating with the tag 29 and a unit 54 for preparing signals to send them via the means 31 to the tag 29.
• the read 13 and write 53 devices use the same means 31 of communication and form a common unit 55 for exchanging information with the electronic tag 29.
• the operating means 17 comprise means 57 for memorizing a list of sites to be replenished and their geographic positions as well as means 59 for comparing the geographic positions of the list with that delivered by the device 52 during of a delivery.
• the geographic position of a site is understood more generally to include the geographic area in which the site is located.
• the operating means 17 comprise storage means 61 for deliveries by customer connected on the one hand to an output of the comparison means 59 and on the other hand to an output of the information read on the label 29 of the 'unit 55.
• the functional unit 5 typically comprises a portable computer equipped with a “GPS differential” type system for determining its geographic position and a unit 55 for exchanging information with the electronic label 29 on the bottle 3.
• the computer is loaded with software suitable for controlling the various elements of the installation 1.
• the delivery vehicle stops at the different sites for their deliver the bottles ordered. During such a delivery stop, the delivery person passes, for each bottle to be delivered, with the means 31 of communication near the label 29.
• the unit 55 then reads the identification number as well as the code of product recorded on the label 29 for transmission to the operating means 17.
• the device 52 determines the geographical position of the functional unit 5 and therefore that of the site on which it is located.
• the unit 5 delivers this position on the one hand to the information exchange unit 55 so that it sends it to the tag 29 for recording this position in the storage means 39 , and on the other hand to the comparison means 59.
• the latter compare the identified position with those of the list of storage means 57 for associating the delivery of the bottle to the site whose position coincides with that identified by the device 52.
• the site, the identification number of the bottle and the product code are then recorded in the means 61 and can, upon return from the delivery tour, o be used for billing customers.
• FIG. 5 shows an installation for monitoring containers, in this case gas cylinders, comprising a storage area or a station 100 for distributing a stock of bottles.
• This station 100 includes a storage space 103 of bottles, located inside a closed room 105. Inside the storage space 103 is disposed a stock of different bottles 107, 109 and 111. Each bottle is received in a location 113 provided for this purpose. These locations 113 are separated from each other by horizontal bars 115 fixed against a wall 117 of the room 105. Among the gas bottles, there are full bottles 107 and
• bottles 109 of different types, such as acetylene bottles and oxygen bottles, as well as empty bottles 111.
• the full bottles 107 and 109 are intended to be distributed to users, and the empty bottles 111 must be taken up and / or exchanged by the supplier of gas cylinders for full cylinders. All bottles 107, 109 and 111 are equipped with an electronic label 29.
• the room 105 has an access 118 which can be closed using a door 119 entering the room 105 to block the bottles 107, 109 and 111 inside the storage space 103.
• the door 119 includes an automatic closure 121 such as those sold under the brand "Groom”, and has an automatic locking device 123.
• the operating means 17 of the functional unit 5, that is to say of the station 100, are produced in the form of a central unit 125 arranged outside the room 105.
• This unit 125 is responsible for control access to storage space 103, manage the stock of bottles, and, if necessary, trigger a replenishment order. To this end, it includes various means which will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6 and some of which can be implemented by a computer or by a controller loaded with an execution program.
• the unit 125 is connected to the control means of the device 123 for automatic locking. Furthermore, it includes transmission means 127 for dialoguing with a replenishment center 129 for gas cylinders.
• the transmission means 127 and the corresponding reception means of the replenishment center 129 can be of any type, in particular radio transmission means.
• the station 100 is equipped with a device 13 for reading information of which only two read / write heads 130, 131 are shown.
• the heads 130, 131 are identical to the communication means 31 and its arranged one behind the other in the direction of passage of the bottles in the access 118 which is indicated by the double arrow 132.
• these heads 130 and 131 are incorporated either in the amount of the door 119 opposite to that carrying the leaf of the door 119, or in a separate gantry provided for this purpose.
• FIG. 6 The block diagram of the structure of the installation 1 in FIG. 5 is shown in FIG. 6.
• the installation 1 comprises means 140 for authorizing a user to remove at least one bottle placed in the storage space 103.
• they comprise means 142 for identifying a user such as for example a badge reader, a "digicode” or any other means of automatic identification. It is planned to install these means of identification 142 in the central unit 125.
• the authorization means include, on the one hand, means locking device 144, namely the door 119 and the door locking device 123 according to the example of FIG. 5.
• These locking means 144 are switchable between a blocking position of the bottles 107, 109 and 111 arranged in said space storage 103 (door locked), and a dispensing position (door 119 open) in which at least one of the bottles 107 and 109 can be removed by an authorized user.
• they include control means 146 ⁇ ,., "
• control means 146 located in the central unit 125, are connected to the identification means 142 so that access to the bottles is only given to users who are self-serving.
• the means control 146 include timing means 147 for switching locking means 144 to the locking position automatically after a certain delay.
• the central unit 125 comprises means 148 for evaluating the stock of bottles.
• These stock evaluation means 148 comprise means 150 for memorizing the state of the stock loaded using means 152 for entering an initial state of stock.
• the storage means 150 comprise three memory locations 150A, 150B and 150C associated respectively with the bottles 107, 109 and 111.
• the means 152 are connected to the identification means 142. They receive an authorization signal from the latter so that only the supplier and a person responsible for the installation can update the state of the stock in the storage means 150.
• the stock evaluation means 148 comprise means 154 for recording a removal or placing of a bottle to detect if a user is removing or bringing back a gas bottle.
• the means 154 are connected to the reading device 13.
• the means 154 comprise, connected to the reading device 13, means 156 for deducing the direction of movement of the bottles in the access 118 to detect, from the time analysis of the signals delivered by the heads 130, 131 of the device 13, if a user removes or brings back a gas cylinder.
• the evaluation means 148 also comprise calculation means 158 to which are connected the means 150 for memorizing the state of the stock as well as the means 154 for recording a removal or placing of a bottle and the reading device 13.
• the calculation means 158 establish a new state of the stock.
• the evaluation means 148 comprise means 160 for memorizing identification codes of the gas cylinders removed or brought back associated with the identity of a user. To this end, these means 160 are connected on the one hand to the identification means 142 and on the other hand to the calculation means 158 which deliver them said identification code comprising in particular the type and nominal capacity of gas contained in the bottle
• the storage means 162 comprise, for each type of bottle, two memory locations, a first for storing a safety threshold used for triggering a normal replenishment command, and a second for storing an emergency threshold serving when an emergency replenishment order is triggered.
• the safety threshold is higher than the emergency threshold.
• the storage means 162 comprise four memory locations, two 164a, 164b for the acetylene bottles and two 166a, 166b for the oxygen bottles.
• the storage means 162 are connected to means for entering threshold values 168 so that these thresholds can be adapted to the needs of users.
• the installation 1 is equipped with means 170 for comparing the stock with the thresholds. To this end, an output of the calculation means 158 and an output of the storage means 162 are connected to corresponding inputs of the comparison means 170.
• the comparison means 170 of the stock are connected to means 172 for triggering a replenishment order.
• the output of the triggering means 172 is connected to an input of the transmission means 127 of a replenishment command at the center 129.
• Another input of the transmission means 127 is connected to an output of the stock state storage means 150 so that the current state of the stock of bottles placed in the storage space 103 at the center 129 can be transmitted at any time. replenishment.
• the central unit 125 delimited by dashed lines, comprises the means 142, 146, 147, 148, 162, 168, 170 and 172.
• the installation 1 of FIGS. 5 and 6 operates as follows. An authorized user who wants to return an empty bottle and remove a full bottle, for example of oxygen, identifies himself to the means 142 of identification.
• the identification means 142 After recognizing the user, the identification means 142 send an authorization signal to the means 146 for controlling the biocage means 144.
• the control means 146 then send an unlocking signal to the blocking means 144. Referring in FIG. 5, this means that the automatic locking device 123 is deactivated, and the user can open the door 119 to place the empty bottle in the storage space 103 as well as for example remove a bottle full of oxygen 109 .
• the device 13 During each passage of a bottle, the device 13 reads on the electronic label 29 of the bottle the identification number of the bottle as well as the type and the quantity of gas contained therein and the means 156 deduce from from the signals measured by the heads 130, 131 the direction of movement of the bottle, and therefore if the latter is removed or added. All this information is transmitted to the computing means 158.
• the calculation means 158 increment by one unit the number of empty bottles stored in the means 150A for memorizing the state of the stock in the case where the means 154 detect that a bottle has been brought back, and decrease by one unit for example the number of oxygen bottles stored in the means 150B in the case where the means 154 detect the removal of a bottle 109.
• the new state of the stock is transmitted by the means 158 to the means 170 for comparing the stock with the thresholds stored in the means 162 for storing the thresholds.
• the comparison means 170 compare, by type of bottle, the new state of the stock with the corresponding thresholds.
• the means 170 do not transmit any control signal. If by against the number of full bottles of at least one type is less than the corresponding predefined threshold, then a replenishment command, normal or emergency is triggered according to the threshold crossed, by a command signal sent by the comparison means 170 the means 172 for triggering a command. Then, the triggering means 172 send a signal to the transmission means 127 so that the latter transmit the command to the replenishment center 129.
• the latter is then identified as a supplier by the identification means 142.
• These identification means 142 then activate the means 152 for entering an initial state of the stock so that the supplier can possibly update the state of the stock in the storage means 150 in the event that a fraudulent action has disturbed the stock management.
• This function of updating the state of the stock can also be assigned to a manager of the station 100.
• Each device 13 is connected to the means 148 for evaluating the stock of bottles and more particularly to the means 158 for calculating and to the means 154 for recording a removal or a post from a bottle. Each device 13 then additionally fulfills the function of detecting the presence of a bottle in the location with which it is associated.
• the devices 13 for reading each location note only the identification codes of the gas cylinders which are correctly placed in the locations 113 and deliver to the means 154 for recording a removal or a fitting of a bottle a presence signal or not of a bottle.
• FIG. 7 shows a variant of the station of FIG. 5 allowing the management of such a station by means of electronic labels 29 and of devices for reading information even for bottles which are not previously equipped with an electronic label
• the installation 1 further comprises an access airlock 200 to the station 100 for distributing a stock of gas cylinders, the bitter wall of which is formed by the access part of the room 105 in which is installed.
• gate 119
• the airlock 200 delimits an enclosure 203 inside which is located a station 205 for mounting information carriers, in particular electronic labels, on gas cylinders and dismantling them.
• the airlock 200 has an access 207 which can be closed using an entrance door 209, shown in the closed state.
• Door 209 is identical to door 119 and also has an automatic locking device 213 identical to device 123
• the central unit 125 is mounted next to the entrance door 209 to the airlock 200 is not only connected to the control means of the device 123, but also to the control means of the device 213
• the station 205 includes an apparatus 215 for automatic distribution and rep ⁇ se of electronic labels 29 and, attached to the apparatus 215, a specific tool 217 for mounting and dismounting.
• This tool 217 is adapted so that it is essential to mount an electronic label 29 on a gas cylinder, and in particular to remove such a label in order to prevent fraudulent disassembly.
• FIG. 8 is represented the block diagram of the structure of the installation 1 of FIG. 7 This diagram differs from that of FIG. 6 by the fact that the authorization means 140 also comprise blocking means 219 of the airlock, namely the door 209 for entry to the airlock 200 and the locking device 213
• blocking means 219 are switchable between a blocking position (door 209 locked) and an access position to enclosure 203 (door 209 open).
• the blocking means 219 are connected to the means 146 and controlled by them so that the device 123 and the device 213 are never simultaneously in the inactive position.
• the apparatus 215 is also connected to the means 146 in order to send to these means 146 signals corresponding to the distribution or recovery of an electronic tag 29 or to receive a signal corresponding to the activation state of the locking devices 123 and 213.
• an authorized user identifies himself with the identification means 142.
• the identification means 142 send an authorization signal to the means 146 for controlling the locking means 144 and 219.
• the control means 146 then send an unlocking signal to the locking means 219.
• the device 213 is reactivated by the control means 146 and the user is enclosed in the enclosure 203.
• the locking device 123 remains activated so that access to the distribution station 100 is still prohibited.
• the control means 146 send a signal to the device 215 to signal to the latter that the door 209 is closed again. Upon receipt of this signal, the device 215 distributes an electronic label 29. The user can then mount the electronic label 29 on the empty bottle by means of the tool 217.
• the information recorded on the distributed electronic labels includes in particular the empty state of the bottle to subsequently allow the means 148 to correctly assess the stock of bottles in the space 103.
• the apparatus 215 sends to the control means 146 a signal for distributing an electronic label 29.
• the means 146 then send an unlocking signal to the blocking means 144.
• the user can then access storage space 103 and put back his empty bottle as well as take a full bottle.
• all the bottles 107, 109, 111, arranged in the storage space 103 are equipped with an electronic label 29.
• the rest of the operation of the installation in FIGS. 7 and 8, in particular as regards the means 148 for evaluating the stock, is similar to that of the installation in FIGS. 5 and 6.
• the user After leaving the storage space 103, the user closes the door 119 and the control means 146 reactivate blocking means 144.
• the blocking means 146 are arranged so that the door 209 of the airlock 200 does not 'opens that on condition that the user hands over the electronic label 29 mounted on the full bottle he has taken, to the apparatus 215.
• the user then dismantles the electronic label 29 using the tool 217 and hands it over to the appliance 215.
• the appliance 215 then sends a label rep ⁇ se signal to the locking means 146 which deactivate the locking means 219 so that the user can open the door 209 and go out with his full bottle.
• means 146 reactivate the blocking means 209.
• FIG. 9 shows an installation 1 in which the functional unit 5 is a system for locating gas cylinders 3 on an industrial site 300.
• This system includes, distributed throughout site 300, different zones 302, 304, 306 and 308 for the use or storage of gas cylinders. It is provided, for example, that one of the zones 302, 304, 306, 308 is a station for distributing a stock of bottles as described above. Each zone 302, 304, 306, 308 comprises at least one access 310.
• a unit 55 for reading and exchanging information with the electronic labels 29 mounted on bottles 3 is associated with each access 310.
• These units 55 are connected via a computer bus 312 to the operating means 17.
• These operating means 17 comprise means 314 for determining the positions of the bottles on the site. To this end, they include means 316 for memorizing tion of bottle identification codes associated with a code of the zone 302, 304, 306 or 308 into which each bottle 3 has been introduced.
• the means 314 for determining the positions of the bottles further comprises means 317 for memorizing the successive movements of the bottles between the different areas 302, 304, 306 and 308 for storage or use.
• the means 317 memorize not only the movement of a bottle, but also the identity of the user who made this movement.
• each zone 302, 304, 306, 308 comprises authorization means 318 identical to the authorization means 140 described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. That is to say these means 318 authorization include means 320 for locking gas cylinders in the area concerned, for example a door and a door locking device and on the other hand means 322 for controlling the locking means and means 324 identification of a user to give access to the various zones 302, 304, 306 and 308 only to authorized users.
• the identification means 324 are also connected to the buses 312 to transmit the identity of the user to the storage means 317.
• zone 304 When a user wants, for example, to move a bottle 3 from zone 304 to zone 306, he presents himself at access 310 in zone 304 in order to identify himself and gain access to this zone.
• the authorization means 318 give him access to the zone 304 and the user can remove a bottle 3 from this zone 304.
• the unit 55 transmits the identification code to the storage means 316 of bottle 3 as well as the fact that the bottle was removed from zone 304.
• the user presents himself at one of the accesses 310 of the zone 306. He identifies himself with the identification means 324 so that the authorization means 318 give him access to this zone.
• the identification means 324 and the unit 55 respectively transmit to the means 316 the identity of the user as well as the identification code of the bottle, a code d identification of the area into which the bottle was introduced.
• the means 316 then memorize the identification code of the cylinder associated with the identification code of the zone which allows, by a simple interrogation of the means 316 of memorization, to know where is located each gas cylinder disposed on the site 300.
• the means 317 memorizing the movement of the bottle as well as the identity of the user who made this movement. To this end, the means 317 store the identification codes of the zones from which the bottle has been removed and brought back respectively, the identification code of the bottle and the identity of the user.
• the zone into which the bottle has been inserted or from which it has been removed is also memorized on the electronic label 29 in order to be able to subsequently detect fraudulent operations with the gas bottles.
• FIG. 10 shows a variant of the installation of FIG. 9 in which the functional unit 5 comprises a portable terminal 350.
• the portable terminal 350 includes a unit 55 for exchanging information, an apparatus 52 for determining the geographic position of the terminal 350, for example of the type known under the name "differential GPS", means 352 for identifying a user , a clock 354 and means 356 of communication, in particular wireless, with the means 314 for determining the positions of the bottles for transmitting to them, after a movement of the bottle, the identity of the user having effected this movement, the identification code of the displaced bottle which is read on the electronic label 29 as well as the geographical position delivered by the device 52 for determining this geographical position and, in addition, the date and time delivered by the clock 354.
• the portable terminal 350 is formed by a portable computer equipped with a GPS type system for determining its geographic position and a unit 55 for exchanging information with the electronic labels 29 of a bottle.
• the computer further comprises the means of communication 356 with complementary means 358 of communication of the means 314 for determining the positions of the bottles on site 300, for example by radio.
• a user who wants to move a gas cylinder 3 first obtains a portable terminal 350 and moves it to its destination point.
• the information stored on the label 29 is read by means of the unit 55 and the geographical position and the identification of the user are written on the label 29 and communicated to the means 314.
• means 314 directly interpret the geographical position of the bottles and record this, together with the bottle identification code and the identity of the user in the means 316.
• this information is also transmitted to the means 317 for memorizing the successive movements of bottles made by each user.
• Example of embodiment n ° 6 FIG. 11 shows a particular installation 1 in which the functional unit 5 is a station 400 for filling gas cylinders.
• This station comprises a filling pipe 402 connected to a gas bottle 3 to fill the latter with a product, in particular acetylene.
• regulating means 404 are arranged in the pipeline 402 to regulate the flow of acetylene therein.
• the station 400 further comprises an automatic balance 406 on which the bottle 3 is placed.
• the operating means 17 comprise calculation means 408 connected on the one hand to the information exchange unit 55 with the label 29 and to the automatic balance 406, and on the other hand to control means 410 of the regulation means 404.
• the station 400 will be described in the case where the bottle 3 is an acetylene bottle dissolved in a solvent.
• the unit 55 reads the information recorded on the label 29, namely the tare and the nominal capacity of the bottle 3. From this information, the calculation means 408 deduct the quantity of solvent in the bottle 3 and the quantity of acetylene that can be dissolved in the solvent contained in the bottle 3. The calculated quantity of acetylene is transmitted to the control means 410 controlling the means 404 of regulation so that this quantity is introduced into the bottle 3.
• FIG. 12 shows a variant of a station 400 for filling containers.
• This station 400 includes a ramp 420 for filling gas cylinders formed by a main pipe 422 and three branches 424 connected at one end to the main pipe 422 and at the other end to gas bottles 3 for filling those -this.
• the bottle 3, located to the left of the figure, serves as a “control bottle”, the filling of which is monitored by means of the scale 406.
• the station 400 includes a unit 55 for exchanging information electronic labels 29 mounted on the bottles 3 These units 55 are all connected to the operating means 17.
• the operating means 17 comprise a clock 426 and means for memorizing 428 the identification code of each bottle 3 filled at the ramp 420.
• the bottles are filled in a similar manner to that described with reference to FIG. 11, the calculation means 408 taking into account that three or instead of a single bottle 3 must be filled
• the operating means 17 transmit to each unit 55 a lot number, the type of product introduced into the bottles as well as the date and time of filling so that this information is stored on the electronic label 29 of each bottle 3. This same information is also recorded in the means 428

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• Entrepreneurship & Innovation (AREA)
• Quality & Reliability (AREA)
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• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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• 1997
  • 1997-06-26 FR FR9708032A patent/FR2765366B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1998
  • 1998-06-22 AU AU83418/98A patent/AU750897B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1998-06-22 DK DK98933677T patent/DK0992017T3/da active
  • 1998-06-22 CA CA002294084A patent/CA2294084C/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-06-22 JP JP50531599A patent/JP4112636B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-06-22 WO PCT/FR1998/001300 patent/WO1999000755A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1998-06-22 ES ES98933677T patent/ES2175733T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-06-22 PT PT98933677T patent/PT992017E/pt unknown
  • 1998-06-22 DE DE69804796T patent/DE69804796T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-06-22 CN CNB988065835A patent/CN1310165C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-06-22 EP EP98933677A patent/EP0992017B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

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